Lamar Hardwick's Blog

Here’s my keynote address from Friday’s event with the Strategies for Justice’s 5th Annual Symposium on Conscious Law Enforcement & Inclusive Practices. 

https://youtu.be/OV0d1K5kbW4?si=dJJzoIswm7TpC0p4

The 2025 Hugh C. Benner Preachers’ Conference will feature Dr. Lamar Hardwick as the keynote speaker, nationally known author and autistic preacher. Alongside Dr. Hardwick, the conference will host four other nationally known preachers, and eight additional workshops, all addressing various aspects of ministry for and with neurodiverse people in Kansas City and around the USA.

— Read on thesendingproject.org/event/preachers-conference/

New episode of the HardLee Typical Podcast just dropped. This is part 2 of last week’s discussion. Remember we’re not just building a podcast we’re building a community so listen, like, and share this podcast!

youtube.com/watch

What one quality would you say is needed to make a relationship/marriage successful? When I was way younger I used to think that love was all that was needed.

24 years later I think I’ve learned that love is important but honestly it’s probably not even top 3. What I’ve discovered is that the number one quality that is needed to make a marriage successful is toughness.

Yes. I said it. Toughness.

The truth is marriage isn’t as hard as it seems. Let me explain. People talk about how challenging marriage can be but the reality is life is hard. Marriage is just one of the many things that life tends to be hard on. So when life gets hard for two people who say they want to be together, then what is needed is toughness.

When two people who are tough choose each other, life can’t lean on them hard enough to make them leave each other. I believe this with all my heart.

So let me say this. I’ve never met anyone tougher than my wife @dr.i.hardwick She is one tough cookie and when life has been hard on us she doesn’t fold. She doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t let life push her or our marriage around. Not even the threat of me receiving an unfavorable cancer diagnosis made her flinch. Life has been tough on us but we’ve lasted because together we are tougher.

Happy 24th anniversary to my wife who is both loving and tougher than nails. I love you! Here’s to 24 more years together!

In this episode of the Harley Typical Podcast, hosts Lamar and Terisha reflect on their holiday experiences and honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by discussing his impact on civil rights and education. They delve into the importance of special education, explaining IEPs and 504 plans, and the challenges families face navigating the education system. The conversation highlights the fears surrounding potential changes to the Department of Education and the implications for students with disabilities, emphasizing the need for advocacy and support within the community. In this conversation, Terisha Lee and Lamar discuss the complexities of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process, the emotional challenges parents face during IEP meetings, and the importance of advocacy and community support. They explore the legal protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the potential implications of eliminating the Department of Education. The discussion emphasizes the need for parents to be informed and supported in navigating the educational system for their children with disabilities.

open.substack.com/pub/hardleetypical/p/season-2-episode-5-mlk-the-doe-and

Hardwick, the retired pastor of Tri-Cities Church in East Point, Georgia, was diagnosed with autism at age 36 in 2014. His blog about his experience quickly became popular and resulted in a 2021 book, “Disability and the Church: A Vision for Diversity and Inclusion,” aimed at helping houses of worship reevaluate how to welcome those on the autism spectrum. Soon, he was dubbed “the Autism Pastor.”
His second book, “How Ableism Fuels Racism: Dismantling the Hierarchy of Bodies in the Church,” released earlier this year, examines the normalization of suffering of both Black and disabled bodies and includes lessons he has learned from a cancer diagnosis. His treatments have forced Hardwick into retirement at age 45 but have not slowed his pen.
— Read on religionnews.com/2024/12/31/emerging-religious-leaders-to-watch-in-2025/

Extremely humbled to be among those leaders listed in this article.

(RNS) — Even as U.S. politics seemed to be locked into familiar patterns, a few faith leaders showed the ability to take the country in new directions.
— Read on religionnews.com/2024/12/31/emerging-religious-leaders-to-watch-in-2025/

I was included in this list of 12 influential people for 2024.

Editor DAVID ADAMS takes a look back at some of the people Sight featured in 2024…
— Read on sightmagazine.com.au/features/year-in-review-12-people-who-shaped-sights-2024/

open.substack.com/pub/hardleetypical/p/season-2-episode-4-dr-chantrise-holliman

The Englewood Review’s Best Books of 2024 Advent Calendar – Dec. 20 How Ableism Fuels Racism by Lamar Hardwick [Brazos Press]
— Read on englewoodreview.org/dec-20-lamar-hardwick-how-ableism-fuels-racism-advent-calendar/